multi effects, or individual pedals?

[poomwah]

 

You don't seem to be too happy with your current sound. I think, and as many have suggested, that you should take care of that first. Tweakable amps can be a lot of fun, but they're not for everybody because they can be a pain to dial in. I do the same thing...and it usually works pretty well. OP...start with this.

 

 

I've got everything at 12 and the graphic flat

[Ender_rpm]

I may get slammed by Carvin fanboi's for this, but any Carvin I've ever tried (not that many) and every review I've read has emphasized the "meh" factor in their sound. As has been suggested, getting it dialed in first is paramount, but you may be hampered rather than helped by your gear in this situation. For me, if an amp/cab combo isn;t happenning with everything set flat, its not worth teh time and effort to tweak it, since you will have to do it EVERY TIME you move the gear to a new place. If it sounds good set flat, then any tweaking you have to do is esily undoen ro reproduced, IMO anyway.

 

 

And I have Dan's old GT6B, and I love it I use it mostly for additional EQ, OD, and some more freaked out sounds, but I play with it bypassed about 75% of the time too. I've even used it for guitar with great results, which is why I bought the GT10 for my guitard rig. I have some bootique OD pedals, but I like the convenience of the time based FX and looper being all in one box, with global tap tempo and levels. And no power supply or cable noise, very important.

[Poltergeist]

i set everything flat with a significant boost on the low mids (a little less then 3').

[willsellout]

I've got everything at 12 and the graphic flat

 

First and foremost, are you not happy with your sound live or in your practice room? I'm never a huge fan of my sound in my house, mainly because I can't turn the damn thing up enough to really feel it. If you are unhappy with your sound in your house only, it might not be the amp. To make my amp sound good to me in my house I almost always have to scoop the mids and cut the highs a bit. You could try that?

 

As far as the settings, I took a look at the amp on Carvins website.

 

For your graphic EQ:

 

So from what I can tell from my limited knowledge of frequencies, the first 3 sliders are lows, the next 3 are low to high mids and the next 3 are your highs. Mids help you cut through, lows naturally boost the thickness, and the highs add some articulation to your sound.

 

As for the overly complex knobs

I would set the contour knob to flat (all the way off). If you want to cut the mids and create a bigger fatter generally warmer sound than you can add it in, but you might have problems sitting in with the band.

 

Then you have the tone knobs and their corresponding frequency selection knobs. You have your bass, low mid, mid, high mid, and treble. Right below those are the frequency knobs at which you set up where in the frequency range you want the knob up top to cut or boost. I would say spend some time here and try and find some sounds on each knob where you like it.

 

I hope this helps, let me know if I'm unclear at all, or especially if I'm wrong on the advice:eek:

 

 

Dan

[Bryan316]

Was anyone suggesting that you should?

 

Well, there are plenty of bassists around town who play completely wet rigs. And they ask me how my rig sounds so good. It frustrates me when I tell em, that I JUST PLAY BASS. Effects are for sound engineers!

 

 

But I wouldn't mind having a tone-shifting effect, to give me a big fat high-mid boost and some overdrive. I just don't want any pedals or boards to worry about. I like rolling my rig up, hitting power, hitting my wireless transmitter, and having nothing to trip over on stage.

 

So I'm working on upgrading one of my basses with an overdrive circuit ripped from a stomp box (gotta find one I like) and utilize a push-pull volume knob to engage it, along with making the onboard EQ active-passive. Get a push-pull knob at the Balance knob to engage the EQ for a midrange boost.

 

I know, pipe dreams, just shaddap and play.

 

But hey... I'm bored at work. HAAA!

[Bryan316]

 

For me, if an amp/cab combo isn;t happenning with everything set flat, its not worth teh time and effort to tweak it, since you will have to do it EVERY TIME you move the gear to a new place. If it sounds good set flat, then any tweaking you have to do is esily undoen ro reproduced, IMO anyway.

 

 

 

Which is why I left Ampeg. Couldn't stand having to tweak the amp just to get a desirable sound in the first place.

[poomwah]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice.

And Dan,

Its my sound at home that I'm not happy with. I haven't had a chance to play out in ages. And I do have to be careful of how loud I get at home or the neighbors call the cops.

The last band I used to be in, I remember liking the sound of the thunderbird through the carvin. I never thought about it being that I'm playing so much quieter. I thought maybe it was just that my tastes had changed. Come to think of it, I used the Hartke last time I jammed with a drummer, and I had never realized how good my bb414 sounded. I figured it was the hartke. But I couldnt' get the same results at home.

I'll try your eq suggestions and see if that takes care of it.

[poomwah]

I'm still going to need effects for certain covers.

Billy Sheehan for instance, I know he's playing effects into a 410 and a clean 115, but I don't know what effects.

I also will need effects for things like Nirvana's come as you are, Presidents' Dune Buggy, Ted Nugent's Little Miss Dangerous, Robert Randolphs I need more love. and many more I'm sure

[poomwah]

DAN!!!

I got it :] got my tone!!! I took the amp out to a friends place where I could crank into it. most of the problem was indeed having to play so quiet. But another problem was that damn contour knob. I turned it all the way off like you suggested and OH MY GOD, what a difference. I love the way it sounds :]

I am still going to need effects though, cover band kinda thing. But at least they are going to be for specific songs, not as a part of MY sound.

If I was doing originals, I think I'd just pick up a few pedals and be done with it. But with as many things as I'm going to need to nail the sound right on so many different songs, I think multi effects are the way I'm going to go.

Thanks everybody :]